Review: ‘From Russia With Love’ and ‘In Love with the 8×10’ short play festival

Short plays are tricky to pull off, but when done well, they can deliver a lot in a small package. With Valentine’s Day looming, two local companies are offering separate showcases of short, comedic plays, all written in the language of love. In the intimate Studio Theater at 6th Street Playhouse, From Russia with Love is a high-spirited assemblage of shorts by Anton Chekhov. Anchored by two classics of the short-form comic romance—The Bear and A Marriage Proposal—the show elegantly intertwines, in segments directed by Beulah Vega, the text of real love letters from Chekhov (Adam Palafox) to his wife, Olga (Yelena Segal), adding an unexpected dose of tender, heart-warming emotion.